Stuff That Got me Through Winter

April 4, 2018

Spring is finally here, and I know I am due for a favorite round-up post for the entire winter season. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed that ever since I started doing ‘Digital Journal,’ I have not been so good at keeping up with monthly favorites ever since. It is simply due to the fact that writing up a Digital Journal takes a lot longer and that often time includes so many of my favorite things and places I’ve been into already. Trust me, I have not forgotten about the monthly favorites which I always enjoy sharing them with you guys! And that is why for today’s post, I am going to share with you all of the stuff that got me through winter. It will be long, so be prepared to sit back, read and enjoy!

MY EVERYDAY MAKEUP PRODUCTS

These are my cannot-live-without makeup products. There are a few newly found and instantly became favorites, such as: the Surratt lash curler that I bought from Barneys NY and the Glossier Boy Brow in black. I switch between using the Anastascia Dipbrow Pomade in dark brown and the Glossier Boy Brown these days, depending on how I feel that day: natural bushy brows or more defined ones. I have already mentioned my love for NARS as a brand multiple times here on the blog, but I absolutely cannot leave the house without applying the NARS Pro-prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base no matter how little makeup I wear that day. Other favorite NARS products featured below are: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30, NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer, and NARS matt multiple blush. The Balm’s Mary-Lou Manizer has been one of my favorite highlighter to use on cheekbones, brow bones, and the tip of my nose, even on days when I don’t wear any foundations nor major face products. I’d pop this highlighter on, and I love that it gives my skin that natural and healthy glow (like glowing from within!). MAC Give Me Sun is also a cult-favorite that I think all of you should have in your makeup collection. I use it way too often, and it has barely touched pan. Did I mention that the only mascara I have been wearing for the past 6 months was the Lacome Grandiose Extreme Wide-angle Volume mascara? It has a super fancy curved wand, and the formulation is wet yet curl holding for my straight Asian lashes. I also love setting my makeup with the Chanel powder compact, plus it is cute as I love putting it in my bag and carrying it around just in case. And last but not least, the Beauty Blender is something that every single person on Earth who wears makeup would be aware of its existence by now. I like mine black for some reasons even though the pink is supposed to be the first, the original. You’ll find it being featured in my post about fashion and beauty tools that have changed my life for the better, here.

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MY SKINCARE PRODUCTS

I don’t think I have properly talked about my skincare routine here on the blog, but I have been wanted to do so for the longest time. My Ordinary discovery two months ago has completely changed my skin care game. You should definitely go read my latest blog post reviewing all of my Ordinary skin care picks if you have not, here. One star product that I absolutely recommend you all to try is the Lala Retro Whipped Cream Moisturizer from Drunk Elephant. This is my second pot, and I shall forever continue using it until the day that my skin ever decides not to take it in anymore. I recently bought the Bobbi Brown eye cream and the Origin Plantscription SPF 25 moisturizer on sale at the Cosmetics Company store from the Seattle premium outlet. I absolutely love how the eye cream is slightly thicker and keeps my under-eyes well-moisturized. I am also down to the very last drops of the TruSkin Vitamin C serum that I bought from Amazon over a year ago. That 2 fl. oz bottle did serve wonders to my skin.

If you have not heard of using micellar water to clean your face, then you should totally give it a try asap after reading this post! Ulta does 50% off second item of the same brand all the time, and I love stocking up my drug store favorites that way! I bought two Garnier Micellar Cleansing water bottles last year, and it takes so long to use up one. I have also been really good at cleansing my face with toner. Mine is a really affordable one that I bought at Target from the Simple brand. I usually wet a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face after all cleansing steps, and I have found it is super effective at taking off whatever left on my face. I bought a bag of organic unbleached cotton pads on Amazon from the brand MUJI which took almost 3 weeks to arrive from Japan (not featured here!), and I love how it’s much more gentle on the skin compared to those cotton rounds that I used to buy from Target.

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MY BATH/SHOWER PRODUCTS

I will include links to shop for the products featured below if you’re interested. Some I feel like are very straight forward and do their job well, hence I keep using them. The most stand-out products are the Le Labo shower gel in Hinoki, the Sachajuan scalp shampoo (for dandruff and itchy scalp!), and the amazing smelling sunflower conditioner from Kielh’s. It’s a 10 products are always amazing even though they can be a bit pricey. I love washing my face in the shower, so my 100-point Sephora perk pick from OleHendricksen is currently sitting in my shower. I don’t commit to one face wash, really, but I have been wanting to try the Glossier milky cleanser for quite sometime now, so maybe I’ll pick it up next! Oh, and last time I saw Target and Walgreen had Soap and Glory products which made me really happy! I love their bath and shower products. They smell really good and are really affordable as well. All of these products for sure have made my first gloomy winter in Seattle a lot better!

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MY KOZHA NUMBERS BAG

Uhm, best bag ever! I love how it is sturdy, minimal, and now does have a feminine touch once I have added a scarf on its handle. I have always been loving the look of tying a silk skinny scarf around the hair and especially on bag. Vintage silk scarves are super easy to find these days. I got mine at Banana Republic a couple of years ago thinking I’d be able to tie it around my hair one day, but my hair kept getting shorter and shorter. Recently, I went into a Madewell store and saw scarves were being tied on their leather bags, and I knew I had to do the same with this new bag I just got. And it stays on my bag ever since!

MY ALLSAINTS LEATHER JACKET

Seriously, this ALLSAINTS leather jacket is by far the best statement and investment piece I have ever made in my entire life! Make sure you enroll in Nordstrom reward program for some cash back! Anyways, I found this jacket on just a random day walking around Nordstrom downtown and tried it on. I fell in love instantly. However, this was not a random purchase. I had been on a hunt to find the perfect leather jacket for years now. And I was so happy to have finally found it! Its leather is buttery soft. It fits me slightly over-sized since I went for size 6. These run small in case you don’t know! But anyways, you can find endless ways of me styling this leather jacket, here, here, and here!

NEW BRAND & PRODUCT DISCOVERY

(jewelry brands I have an opportunity to work with the past months that I absolutely love from their jewelry collections to what they represent as brands!)

FRAGRANCES

Of course, Glossier You made it to the top favorite scent since I have been wearing it almost every single day ever since I got it! You can definitely read my review blog post about it here and why I love it so much! A bottle is $60 and is way more affordable than a bottle of Le Labo. However, I would love to one day save enough money to splurge on a bottle of Santal 33 or The Noir 29.

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CANDLES

P.F Candle Co. in Amber & Moss. I love soy candles! This one smells like a clothing shop, bright and cheerful, every time I burn it. Its base note is amber and musk, my favorite combo, and there is a hint of orange, lavender, and sage. I bought this candle for $20 no tax at Woonwinkel, a really cute stationary shop in downtown Portland. You can buy it on their website for $18, but there is a $5 flat rate shipping fee. P.F Candle Co. candles are easily found at many shops in Seattle and Urban Outfitters, here.

Last month, I finally gave in and bought myself my first Diptyque candle. I went for the most popular berry scent, BAIES. I find if you burn the candle all the way until it forms a nice even pool of hot wax, blow it off, and that will ensure a good clean burn. Some use a paper towel to wipe off the tip of the wick or trim the burnt tip off, but I am lazy, hah! I find these tips helpful especially with expensive candles like this. I just burn mine super slow and for once in awhile. These scents last for days, especially when being burnt in the bedroom. It calms and helps me fall asleep super easy! Plus, they look really good just sitting on the shelf or on my makeup table, wherever. 😛

I stopped by the Evelane denim pop-up store couple of months ago at the U Village here in Seattle, and I recognized the Santal 33 body fragrance scent almost instantly. I walked in and saw that they were burning Santal 26 candle, and bingo! I knew I had to get it! So here go my next month’s paycheck!

PODCAST

MOVIES

NETFLIX & HULU TV SHOW

Stranger Things 2

The End of the F***ing World

& last but not least

SEATTLE

Spring in Seattle is no doubt gorgeous! I have stopped by The UW Quad for the total of 5 times for the cherry blossoms and taken so many beautiful blossom photos around the city as well. Even though it is still gloomy, these flowers have definitely made my views and days a lot better. soon I will make my way North to Tulip festivals and fields! I also will be leaving for a road trip to Arizona and Utah in two weeks, so I am super excited for that! Anyways, I will catch up with you guys more in my next post and congrats for making it to the end of this post and surviving the winter. I know the Midwest and East coast are still suffering snow and I have been there! I definitely appreciate such mild and warm west coast winter. In all genuinity, all of the things I’ve mentioned above are just some of the things that have helped me in some sorts of ways. I hope you’ve found a few things to add to your next to-do and must-try list. Don’t forget to share yours below and thanks for reading!